Floor cleaning, waxing, and polishing device



June 10, 1930. F, J. MCCARTHY 1,762,637

FLOOR CLEANING, WAXING, AND POLISHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, F/iRNC/J J. Mcmavwv,

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A TTORNEY.

June 10, 1930. F. J. MCCARTHY FLOOR CLEANING, WAXING, AND POLISHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR fkAA/c/s J M0 CART/1y,

A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS J. MCCARTHY, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY I. -WAGNER, MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OREGON FLOOR CLEANING, WAXING, AND POLISHING DEVICE Application filed February 25, 1929. Serial No. 342,376.

This invention relates to improvements in manually operated cleaning, waxing and polishing devices for maintaining hardwood floors in approved condition.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of apparatus adapted for pushing and rubbing upon a floor to distribute cleaning and waxing materials thereover including chambered receptacles for the supply of such materials together with means for controlling the amount of such materials supplied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spreading and olishing device for cleanin and waxing oors having an operating s aft pivoted to swin in the plane of the longitudinal axis 0 the device together with a plurality of chambered receptacles disposed in said axis and having dispensing apparatus ada ted to be actuated by impact from said sha t at desired intervals between the impelling strokes given by the shaft.

A still further object of the invention is 2 the provision of means for securing a fabric pa d to the bottom of my improved cleaning and polishing device consisting in a binding yoke adapted to enga e the pad at each end of the device in com ination with so springs connecting said yokes upon opposite sides of the device and thus resiliently binding said pads in operative position.

Other objects and advantages residing in my invention and objects relating to de 85 tails of construction and arrangements of parts thereof will be fully apparent in the course of the detailed description to follow. The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example a re resentative form of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a view in section along the major axis of the device.

Fig. 5 is a detached fragmentary view of the pad-holding element of the device.

Referrin to said views, the reference numeral 1 indicates the body-of my improvedcleaning and polishing device of generally rectangular configuration having a fiat lower surface 2 downwardly and outwardly flaring sides 3 and ends 4 and a flat upper face 5 in a plane parallel with the lower surface 2.

An annular wall 6 extends upwardly from the upper face at one end of the body having a cylindrical chamber 7 therein extending into the body and which is closed at its bottom by a wall 8 except for a slotted aperture 10 extending diametricall across said recess and transversely across t e lower surface to provide an outlet from the chamber to said surface. Said aperture is undercut, as at 11, in said bottom wall to extend such aperture to each side beyond the limits of the chamber.

A somewhat similar annular wall 12 is positioned symmetrically at the other end of the body having a cylindrical chamber 13 therein extending into the body which is closed at its bottom by a wall 15 except for a circular and axially disposed opening 16. A counter-bore 17 is formed from the lower surface 2 concentric with the opening 16 affording a seat 18 at its upper end for a valve 20 whose stem 21 extends through said opening and is guided at its upper end in a transversely disposed strip 22 rigidly secured upon the upper edge of the wall 12 in flush relation with the to of the wall. A pin 23 extends through t e valve stem in suitable spaced relation from the valve and a coil-spring 25 is interposed in compressed condition between the pin and the bottom of the chamber to maintain said valve in spring-pressed engagement with the valveseat to normally close the opening from leakage of liquid from the chamber. A removable lid 26 is provided for the top of the chamber 13 having an aperture therein to admit of the extension of the valve-stem therethrough.

A plunger 27 is slidably mounted in the chamber 7 and is formed with a depending annular flange 28 about its periphery. An axially disposed post 80 extends upwardly from said plunger having a groove 31 in its upper extremity.

Both of said chambers, the valve-stem 21 and the post are arranged in the longitudinal axis of the device. The walls 6 and 12 are integrally connected by a block 32 havingtwo spaced apertured cars 33 extending upwardly upon either side of said axis in which the lower end of a handlesocket 35 is pivotally connected by a bolt 36. A shaft 37 is seated in the usual manner in said socket which is adapted to swing for a full 180 degrees about its pivotal connection except as it may be engaged on its opposite sides by the valve-stem 21 or the post 30. Integral lugs 38 and 39 are formed on said 1 socket to engage said valve-stem or post, re-

spectively, as desired. The body 1 is intended and adapted to receive and secure a pad thereunder composed of cheese-cloth when it is intended to apply and distribute the cleaning and v axing materials or a strip of carpet material when polishing o erations are required. Such pad is indicated at 40 in Fig. 3 and is secured to the body by the following means. The body is formed at each of its opposite ends with an overhanging lip 41 which alfords constructively a recess 42 thereunder due to the upwardly receding form of the body ends and sides. A yoke 43, preferably of wire, is provided to lie in each said recess at each end of the body and both of said yokes are formed with an e e 44 at each of their ends extending slight y beyond the respective sides of the'body. The medial portion of each said yoke is bowed outwardly, as at 45, to provide means for readily grasping the yoke and manipulating the same.

' A pair of coil-springs 46 are connected at each of their opposite ends to the eyes 44 and thus extend under tension upon each of the lateral sides of the bod 1 tendingl to draw the yokes together an pressing t em resiliently into said recesses. The pad 40 extends under the bottom of the bottom in flat condition and has its ends drawn under the yokes 43 which maintains the pad in place and in taut condition due to the tension of the springs. When a new pad is to be fitted the yokes are readily pulled away from the body by extending the springs whereupon the pad may be stretched and drawn under the oke which when released will engage and liold the pad securely.

In the operation of the device for cleanin floors preparatory to waxing a pad 0 cheese-cloth is fitted under the body in the manner described and the chamber 13 is more or less filled with a cleaning liquid which will be held from leaking by the valve 20 and the lid 26 is secured in place. The handle-shaft is then utilized to push the device along the floor to be cleaned with the chamber 13 to rear so that the shaft will be inclined in normal operative position over the chamber, as indicated in Fig. 1. When it is desired to supply cleaning fluid to penetrate the pad, the shaft is lowered by the operator to engage the under lug 39 with'the valve-stem 21, see Fig. 3, to open the valve 20 more or less for an instant or sufiiciently long to admit of the desired amount of liquid to flow from the chamber to penetrate the pad and which is distributed upon the floor by the pad while the device is being pushed to and fro over the floor. Liquid wax may be applied in the same manner.

When heavier wax is to be used the chamber 7 is filled therewith and the plunger 27 is fitted in the chamber over the wax and pressed thereagainst. The shaft is then manipulated in inclined relation over the chamber 7 and the wax is exuded from the aperture 10 to permeate through the pad to the floor by pressing down from time to time with the shaft upon the post 30 thereby engaging the lug 38 thereagainst, as indicated in Fig. 4.

When polishing the floor after waxing a pad of coarser texture, such as brussels carpet may be employed with favorable results.

It will thus be seen that all of the steps in maintaining hardwood floors in good condition may be accomplished in a most acceptable way by the use of my device and with a great saving in time and labor. Cleaning, waxing and polishing operations may all be performed with ease and the amount of cleaning and waxing material supplied to the floor are all under the most direct and positive control by the simplest and easiest movements of the shaft while the ordinar operations of the device are not interfere with in any manner.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A floor cleaning and polishing device, comprisin a body having a fiat under surface and ormed with a' pair of recesses in its longitudinal axis, a cylindrical wall extending upwardly about each said recess to rovide a fluid-chamber and a wax-chamer respectively, said wax-chamber havin a plunger therein provided with an upwar ly extending post and transversely disposed aperture in its bottom wall, said uid;cham ber having an axially disposed opening in its bottom wall providing a valve-seat, a valve for said opening having an upwardly extending stem, a handle pivotally mounted between said chambers to swin in the plane of said longitudinal axis an adapted to operatively engage said post and said valve-stem, and means to detachably secure a pad to the underside of said body.

2. A floor cleaning and polishingdevice, comprisin a body having a flat under surface and ormed with a pair of axially disposed recesses in its upperface having cylindrical vertical walls to eflectually provide a fluid-chamber and a wax-chamber, respectively, said wax-chamber having a plunger therein and a transversely disposed aperture in its bottom wall, said fluid-chamber having an opening in its bottom wall providing a valve-seat, a valve for said opening having an upwardly extending stem, a handle pivotally mounted between said chambers to swing in a plane axially of said body, and means to detachably secure a pad to the underside of said body.

3. In a floor cleaning and polishing device, a body having a flat under surface and formed with a recess in its upper face, a cylindrical wall about said recess providing a chambered receptacle, said chamber having a central openin in its bottom wall counterbored from sai lower surface to provide a valve-seat, a spring-pressed valve to close said opening having a valve-stem extending above said cylindrical wall, a transversely disposed apertured strip secured in flush relation in the top of said cylindrical wall and through which said valve-stem is guided, a lid to close the top said chamber, and a handle pivoted upon said body to engage said valve-stem to open said valve.

Signed at Portland, Oregon, February,

FRANCIS J. MCCARTHY. 

